New Ulm weekly review., 1887-08-24


CORTLAND,
}, ), New Ulm.
H. Division.
Tableau estates of the Union.
Scholars of New Ulm Schools.
III. Division.
Silver Cornet Band.
Hecker Post G. A. r. and Comrades.
Odd Fellows Lodge.
ST. Josephs Society, New Ulm.
), D, West Newton.
Sons of Hermann.
Turnverein and Scholars.
Citizens on foot and in carriages.
The line of march was as follows:
From Turner Hall to Third South
Street; to Minnesota to Fourth North;
to Broadway to Center; to State to Tur-
ner Hall Park.
On return to Turner Hall, Hon.
John Lind delivered the following ad-
dress:
Defenders Of New Ulm and Ladies
and gentlemen.
Twenty-Five years ago at. this hour
yesterday, the ground which we now
occupy was held by the blood-thirsty
Sioux, and this was not the only point.
They surrounded the town on every
side, pouring bullets and shot into the
midst of the Village without cessation.
Yonder was cluster of houses, some
of which yet remain, scared and riddled
on that memorable day, in which were
huddleds together from cellar to attic
almost thousand of women and child
| rem. Nothing between them and death
nothing between them and savage
appetite and the scalping knife, but
| this handful of brave and resolute men
whom we are now honoring and we'll
| coming as the Defenders of New
! Ulm''. 1t is as impossible to convey a
| correct idea of the situation, as it would
be to accurately describe the freaks and
fury of cyclone, but we can imagine
the terror that reigned: These hundreds
of women and children crowded to-
gether in a living mass, some wild with
fright, others with grief over loved ones
killed, or lost. The flames OF their
burning homes, the sight of the dead,
the cries of the wounded, the unearthly
war-whoop of the savage, and dark
| suggestions to use the last keg of pow
! der to hurl them to eternity and save
them from savage cruelty and lust, if
they were overpowered, lent additional
horror to the situation. Expecting but
to fall victims to Indian sayagery if they
escaped the sudden death, the bullets,
and the fires, that were raging on every
| side, they hardly dared to hope for the
victory for which the Defenders so va
liently fought, and so dearly bought,
4. But the dauntless pioneers were con-
scious of their precious charge, mind
full of their duty as men, as husbands
and fathers, they fought with a desper.
alton unknown to civilized warfare.
Night neared, but the fate of the town
was still in the balance. The situation
called for decisive action. 60 to 20 men
under the leadership Of Judge Flandrau
and Capt. Nix made an assault on the
Indians most commanding stronghold.
One third of the little band dropped
out, dead or wounded, but the remain.
der fought with doubled vigor and made
| the quicker work of the undertaking,
The Indians were dislodged, abandoned
mp the fight, turned their faces to the
West and westward still they travel
i Days sped by. years have come and
gone. The losses, all-but of human
blood and life-have been repaired.
Time has healed the wounds of sorrow.
| Gentle hands still tend the flowers or
! the graves this day, but resignation has
succeeded grief. The scythe of time
has not spared you all Noble Defenders
This very month has seen the departure
of one whose loss you keenly feel. But
thanks to Providence there is still a
! goodly number of you with us to rejoice
over the peace, prosperity and happi.
ness which we now enjoy. When you
look at these happy homes and families
many Of which YOU saved, you cannot
but feel proud of your work. This
| quarter of a century has given us ci
| ty, more beautiful than the hamlet
which you saved from total destruc
ton, rich in churches, rich in schools, ricI
/ in material wealth and above all, ricf
in an intelligent, liberty loving people
who welcome you with a gratitude anG
fervor which we trust you will see evi
denced by our efforts to entertain
you.
4 In behalf of the generation which
has come upon the scene since thai
memorable day, many of whom yor
saved as babes, permit me to express
their gratitude, as sincere and heartfelt
as that Of their elders. We appreciate
the courage which offered life and al
to save this tewn and its human treas
ure from the fate of savage butchery
We realize the bravery Of the men who
/ rendered their bodies as targets to 5
/ foe which avoided the fair encounter
/ and summed the open field whose bull
| lets came from out the gullies, whe
shot from the thicket. skulked in the
woods and crouched behind q tuft o1
grass. There were no strains of mar.
| tial music to cheer you on. No skilled
commanders, OF. disciplined training t.
directi your movements. No glory
awaiting gallant charge. No chance
| for military distinguishment. a fot
brutal u LIE and conquered revolving